Sucker for the Boss

by Blue Sky Books

  “I have. I think…well what I truly believe…what I think will be best is if you didn’t drink at the game at all” Carol took ages to finish her sentence and she watched as Kevin’s eyes turned from delight to mockery.

  “So that’s your rookie opinion?” he took another gulp of his beer, while his eyes remained on her face.

  “It’s my regular opinion” Carol said and raised her nose higher in the air. He gave a short laugh.

  “And why do you think we should follow your advice?” he licked his lips which made his delicious lips glisten in the dim blue light of the room.

  “Because it might just be a better idea for your game and you can drink…well you can drink as much as you want after the game is over” Carol felt exasperated by now. The words were coming out in a jumble and she couldn’t stop her body from shaking as she looked up at him with excited eyes. He laughed again and crumpled the plastic cup in his hands. Carol’s eyes widened as she noticed how the muscles in his forearm stretched and moved as he balled up the plastic in his hands and flung it over to the side. It went straight into the bin and she bit down her lip.

  “Have you tried your hand at basketball?” she couldn’t stop herself from asking him and he laughed again.

  “You’re not getting away with it by giving me a compliment rookie” Kevin said and leaned in towards her as he said it.

  “Get away with what?” Carol could feel her palms growing sweaty, she was almost afraid that the cup of beer might slip out of her hands.

  “Get away with a shitty plan. We’re drinking at the game and it’s your job to make it happen” his face was still inches away from hers and she could smell the beer on his breath. If she moved only a few inches towards him, their lips would be touching.

  “You’re not getting away by calling my plan shitty. It’s my opinion and it’s the wise one” Carol had found some strange strength within her and she even managed to smile politely as she said it. She saw Kevin’s eyes widen as the words registered in his mind. He straightened up with his eyebrow raised and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

  “And you must be mistaken. My name isn’t rookie, it’s Carol. Carol Stevenson” she said before whipping around, away from Kevin Tyler.

  *****

  “Hold on a minute” Kevin said and Carol felt her arm being pulled in the other direction. The force with which Kevin pulled her towards him, almost made her slip on the sticky floor. She landed with her back on his chest while he wrapped his arms around her waist and held her close. The music was still loud and Kevin pressed his mouth against her right ear.

  “Where do you think you’re going?” he whispered into her ear. Carol could feel his hands on her body. Her butt was pressed tight against his thighs and she felt like her heart would jump out of her chest if she wasn’t careful.

  “Going to get another drink” she said. His lips were now grazing her cheek as she spoke and she could feel a shiver run down her spine. She had no idea where she was finding the strength to even remain standing.

  “I thought you didn’t like drinking” he whispered again, slowly rolling the words out. Carol snapped out of her daze when she heard the words and whipped around to face him. His hands were forced to fall away from her waist as she did that.

  “I’m not a prude Kevin. I just think there’s a time and place for everything. The game isn’t the place or the time for drinking yourself silly” Carol said and crossed her arms across her chest. Kevin was shocked with her reaction and glaring at her with rounded eyes.

  “Wow. I didn’t expect to hear that” he said and ran his fingers through his tight curls.

  “You might be used to kicking around rookies and bullying people who don’t belong to your group” Carol said and tucked a thick strand of hair behind her ear. “But I’m not going to apologize for sticking to my principles” she continued. Kevin didn’t respond to her and she began to feel nervous. “Even if this is college and this is what you’re sort of expected to do. I still don’t think it’s right” Carol said and averted his gaze. She noticed Moira standing in the corner with a group of girls from the cheerleading team. They were clearly talking about her and Kevin. She could just sense it.

  “You should go back to your little girl gang anyway” she jerked her head back to look at him. He had a weird expression on his face. It was sort of halfway between a smile and a grimace. He was clearly in shock and Carol was annoyed. This is exactly what Toni was talking about but she’d somehow dreamt that Kevin Tyler would be different.

  He still wasn’t responding to her and Carol’s temper grew. “I’m just going to go” she said after she threw another look at the girls who were now giggling and staring directly at her.

  “Where? You just arrived” Kevin finally spoke and Carol took a large gulp of her remaining beer.

  “I just remembered that I have an essay to write” Carol said and started backing away from Kevin again.

  “You’re doing this right after you proclaimed that you’re not a prude!” Kevin laughed, but Carol could sense the nervousness behind his eyes. They were screaming at each other again, to make themselves heard over the loud music.

  “Honestly, I don’t care what you think” Carol rolled her eyes and turned around. She started squeezing through the throngs of people who were dancing and drinking around her. She felt a hand on her shoulder and for a second she thought it was Kevin again and she turned around, her heart beating. If it was him, she was going to kiss him, she would take this opportunity and do it, even if it would be the last time he ever spoke to her.

  But it wasn’t him. It was some guy who wanted to squeeze past her, in a drunken tizzy. Carol’s heart dropped and she ran her eyes over the crowd, where she had left Kevin standing. He was joined by Moira now who was handing him another cup of beer. Nothing was as devastating as watching him smile, with his dimples adding that boyish charm to his looks, at Moira.

  Carol turned around again and made for the main door. It was all too depressing, too embarrassing and definitely a mistake. Toni was right and she should have taken good advice when it was being dished out to her.

  Carol stepped out of the bursting sorority building and took in a deep breath of fresh air.

  “Hey” she heard a girl’s voice and looked up to find Joanna sitting on the curb with a big cup of beer in her hands. Her left ankle was plastered and she was alone.

  “Hey” Carol said, she couldn’t keep the surprise out of her voice, of finding the most popular girl in college sitting by herself outside a party. Also, voluntarily trying to make conversation with her!

  “The party sucks doesn’t it?” Joanna said and Carol walked slowly over to her. She didn’t even look like she was going to a party. She was in casual gym clothes and her hair looked like she had spent the whole day in bed.

  “Are you okay?” Carol asked her, even though they had barely ever spoken.

  “My ankle’s busted, I’m out of the cheerleading team and Kevin dumped me. I have no idea what I’m going to do with my life” Joanna said dreamily and took a large sip of the beer. The whole college knew that Kevin had broken up with her several months ago, but Carol didn’t want to point that out to her. She looked too fragile.

  “I’m sorry. I’m sure things will start looking up” Carol said uneasily.

  “You can say that. They’re already looking up for you” Joanna snapped at her and Carol was suddenly taken aback.

  “Excuse me?” she said and widened her eyes.

  “You’re in the team, you’re being invited to parties and now you’re flirting with Kevin” Joanna said and Carol got a rude awakening, a reminder of why she stayed away from Joanna and Co.

  “I don’t know where you’re getting your information, but either way, it’s none of your business” Carol said and began to walk away from her.

  “If he’s giving you his attention, it means he wants something. I hope you realize that” she heard Joanna’s voice call out to her. Her voice had turned dre
amy again and Carol was tempted to turn around. She just stopped in her tracks instead.

  “The sooner you realize that, the better” Joanna continued and Carol finally did turn to look at her. She had never seen Joanna look so pathetic before. She almost felt sorry for her and wanted to forgive her for all the things she was saying.

  “Don’t look so shocked” she continued and an evil cackle escaped her lips, “he’s going to use you and then throw you away. Then your life will come crashing down and you’ll be ruined” she broke into childish sobs and Carol ran to her and bent down to give her a hug. She knew it was weird, hugging this girl who barely spoke to her and if she did, it was something mean. But Carol couldn’t help her instincts.

  “You just feel ill, because of the injury. You’re over reacting” Carol tried to console her, but her sobs continued.

  “He’s doing it to my best friend Moira too. You all are just too foolish to see” she said through her sobs. Carol put on a smile and patted her shoulder before standing up again.

  “I’m grateful for your concern Joanna, but I can take care of myself. I don’t know about Moira but I don’t believe I’m being foolish” Carol continued to smile. Joanna wiped the tears from her face and looked up at her again.

  “I’m not concerned about you” she spat out at her. Carol rolled her eyes and started walking away again, she didn’t know why she’d even tried hugging her and treating her like a normal human being.

  As Carol walked back to her room, the words that Joanna had said kept playing in her mind. She was convinced that she was going to be strong enough and get over the whole episode, but she couldn’t forget that it had taken her months and almost a year to get over Kevin after the first time they’d met. This time, when they’d come so close to kissing, she wasn’t so sure that she’d be able to get over him in a jiffy. But I’m stronger than Joanna and Moira and the whole lot, she said to herself as she climbed up the stairs to her room. When she reached the corridor she could see Toni standing outside their door.

  “Hey! What’s up?” Carol yelled out to Toni who started walking towards her.

  “You have a visitor” Toni said and raised an eyebrow at her.

  *****

  Kevin was sitting on the floor of her room, his back against her bed when Carol walked in. He grinned at her broadly while she couldn’t wipe the shocked look from her own face.

  “What are you doing here?” she nearly shrieked. Worried thoughts raced through her head when she found the man of her dreams in her room. Was he here to bully her? Was he here to pick a fight with her because of what she had said to Joanna? Toni was standing behind Carol, defensively.

  “I just wanted to make sure you were alright. You seemed pretty distressed when you left the party” he said and stood up, wiping the front of his jeans down.

  Carol turned around to Toni and said, “It’s alright Toni, can you give us a few minutes?”

  Toni rolled her eyes and walked away grudgingly.

  “I was afraid she was going to kill me when I knocked your on door earlier. What took you so long?” Kevin continued and took a few steps towards Carol. She backed away.

  “I don’t know what you want but just get it over with, whatever it is” she said. Kevin took two long steps in her direction and before she had a chance to react, he had covered her mouth with his. Carol was too surprised to kiss him back and she just froze in her spot, her arms by her side while his tongue explored the inside of her mouth. But her inaction must have alarmed him, because he stopped suddenly and pulled his face away from hers and Carol gasped for breath.

  “I’m sorry?” he asked while still smiling down at her. Carol lifted her head to meet his eyes. She could feel her body shaking. His green eyes bore into her and somehow gave her strength. Without a word, Carol stood up on her toes and kissed him gently. She felt his hands grip her waist and lift her up slightly and place her feet on his shoes. Carol wrapped her arms around his waist while he sucked her lower lip gently.

  Even though she knew subconsciously that she should be enjoying this unbelievable moment, her mind was racing. She wanted to devour him, savor every taste and every breath of him. Even while they were kissing and even though his hands were gently stroking the sides of her waist, she couldn’t help feeling like this moment was too good to be true. The panic was rising and Joanna’s voice played in her head and she backed away from him too suddenly.

  “What do you really want Kevin?” she asked him hoarsely. She didn’t have to look in the mirror to know that her coral lipstick was now smudged around her mouth.

  “You” Kevin said, equally hoarsely and leaned in again for a kiss. Carol pulled herself away from him and wriggled out of his hands. Her back was pressed against the wall now.

  “I’m not a fool Kevin. What do you want?” she asked him again and mustered all the courage that she had to look him directly in the eye.

  “I just told you” he said and surprisingly she could see that he looked genuinely wounded by her words.

  “I find that hard to believe” she said, her nostrils were flaring.

  “You really don’t think highly of yourself do you?” he said with a laugh and stretched out his arm to trace his finger along her left cheek.

  “What I think of myself is beside the point. I don’t think very highly of your intentions” she spat out and watched as his eyes narrowed and his expression changed to anger.

  “What is that supposed to mean Carol? Carol Stevenson” he said her name and she struggled against her heart melting. Her name on his tongue was too hard to resist.

  “You don’t exactly have a history of good intentions where girls are concerned Kevin Tyler” she said, a little more softly this time. Like she was trying to convince herself rather than him.

  “Wow. You really know how to give a guy a cold shower” he said and turned away from her.

  “I’m looking out for myself” she said, even more softly now. The fact that he had turned away from her sort of broke her heart, but she knew she had to stay strong.

  “I didn’t think you would fall so easily for the rumors Carol” she heard him say as he dug his hands into his pockets.

  “What should I base my judgment on? It’s not like we’re friends” Carol said and pressed herself harder against the wall.

  “Smart girl” is all he said, but he still didn’t turn to look at her. “If you think yesterday was the first time I noticed you, you’re wrong. It’s the first time I had a chance to talk to you. And I grabbed that opportunity” his words came out sharp and like arrows in her heart. Carol’s palms grew sweaty again and all she wanted to do was wrap her arms around his waist again.

  “And if you knew these other girls whose history with me you’re talking about…you wouldn’t judge me so harshly” he said and finally turned to look at her. His eyes were still narrowed but his voice had softened. She could see his Adam’s-apple bob up and down in his throat and she was shocked to realize that he was as nervous as she was.

  “I…” Carol began but fumbled with her words. “I…” she tried again and Kevin looked away from her. She started when they heard a loud rap on the door. Neither of them reacted and Toni banged the door open, almost as if she was trying to catch Kevin in the act of murdering her roommate.

  “What’s going on?” she asked as she looked from Carol pressed against the wall to Kevin who was standing a few feet away from her.

  “I’m leaving” he said and walked out of the room without even looking at either of them.

  “Kevin!” Carol managed to squeak out but not loud enough.

  “Carol what the Hell is going on?” Toni asked again but Carol had run past her and into the corridor.

  “Kevin!” she yelled this time and saw his head as it disappeared down the stairs hurriedly. She called out his name again while hurrying down the stairs, but he was outrunning her, obviously. By the time Carol had reached the bottom of the stairs, he was out the main entrance and she was short of breath.
Carol bent over and breathed heavily, while he had disappeared out of her vision.

  Once again, she thought, she was left chasing after the man she was undeniably in love with.

  “Carol, what the actual Fuck?!” Toni’s voice came booming down and she looked up to find Toni glaring down at her from the top of the stairs. She let out a huge sigh and started climbing the stairs slowly.

  “All will be revealed. Hold your horses” she yelled back to Toni.

  When she reached the corridor, Toni was standing outside their room again, leaning against the door, literally fuming.

  “We kissed” is all Carol could say and Toni nearly jumped out of her skin.

  “Kevin Tyler and you?” Toni asked, the look of disbelief streaking her face. Carol nodded and pushed the door of their room open. The moment she stepped in she could smell him, that sensual mix of traces of beer, masculine cologne and Kevin’s own delicious smell which Carol now knew by heart, only from that one kiss.